Early Stage Startups Can Apply to Join MedTech Actuator Origin!
25 September 2023
MedTech Actuator Origin is an early-stage innovation program that turbocharges the development of emerging human health technologies and the across Australia and Asia-Pacific.
MedTech Actuator believes that startup founders are superheroes and all superheroes have a beginning. The program offers emerging founders and entrepreneurs the opportunity to dive into the MedTech, BioTech and HealthTech startup ecosystem and learn how to transform from idea to early-stage startup.
The winner of MedTech Actuator Origin will receive a share of the $10K prize pool, over $5k worth of in-kind support as well as gain access to fast-tracked entry into MedTech Actuator Accelerator 2024.
Applications for MedTech Actuator Origin close on 20 October 2023.
Synchron's Startup Success
Origin alumni and Chief Technical Officer and Founder of Synchron Australia, Professor Nick Opie, said: “Since the MedTech Actuator™ Origin we’ve raised a total of over $21m, expanded into the US, commenced first in-human trials and even received a mention for the work we are doing from President Obama.
“We were researchers with a vision for a ground-breaking minimally invasive brain-computer interface to overcome paralysis, but we didn’t know the business of building a company and taking a product to market.
“The MedTech Actuator™ Origin gave us a crash course in critical topics like sharpening our value proposition, pitching to investors and developing a robust business model and IP strategy. We vastly expanded our network, and the Gala pitch was a highly visible launch pad that positioned us for future growth.”
Qualifying teams join intensive sprint
Qualifying teams will join MedTech Actuator in Melbourne for an intensive sprint over three days, where they will learn from industry experts, pressure test their innovations, network with a cohort, gain exposure to the startup ecosystem and health innovation, and pitch for an opportunity to receive a cash prize sponsored by industry leaders. The three days will also include workshops, founder stories, panel discussions, activities and more.
This all comes together at the Rapid fire round – where MedTech Actuator Origin teams pitch to industry leaders, then move to the semi-final and the final at the MedTech Actuator Showcase.
Dates for 2023 MedTech Actuator Origin program are as follows:
- Three-day intensive sprint: 22-24 November 2023
- Semi-final: 24 November 2023
- MedTech Actuator Showcase and Origin final: 30 November 2023.
Based in Melbourne, Origin is an in-person program. Qualifying teams should be prepared to send one team representative to Melbourne for the intensive sprint and finals. Travel stipends are available for interstate participants to attend.
Program Eligibility
Applicants to the Origin program must:
- Have a research project, idea or innovation in human health
- And, for this project, idea or innovation to be in its early stages of development
- Be highly motivated to learn about innovation commercialisation, as well as Australia’s health, medical and biotechnology startup ecosystem
- Be able to attend all program (in-person and online) activities scheduled on the key dates listed above
- Have at least one team member based in Australia.
Apply now for MedTech Actuator Origin
Origin is supported by LaunchVIC, and our Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) Program funded by the Medical Research Future Fund.
NB. Synchron Australia was awarded funding from MTPConnect’s BioMedTech Horizons program for the development of its medtech device the StentrodeTM.